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Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Volume 95 - No. 52
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www.ldnews.net
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$1.30 GST inc.
BURNS LAKE
LAKES DISTRICT NEWS
Burns Lake’s Pinnacle Pellet fined
The wood pellet plant was ordered to pay an administrative penalty of $55,989.25 FLAVIO NIENOW
WorkSafeBC has completed its investigation into the incident at the Pinnacle Pellet plant in Burns Lake. On Oct. 9, 2014, during maintenance shutdown at the wood pellet plant, three workers were standing at the opening of a burner door when an explosion occurred in the dryer system. The three workers were knocked backwards by the force of the explosion and suffered burn injuries. WorkSafeBC has issued five orders to improve safety in the workplace, and Pinnacle Pellet was ordered to pay an administrative penalty of $55,989.25. According to WorkSafeBC, there were grounds for imposing an administrative penalty because the employer “has failed to take sufficient precautions for the prevention of work related injuries or illnesses.” According to the incident investigation report, the accumulation of flammable gases was the main cause of the explosion. “An accumulation of flammable gases in a contained dryer system was exposed to high temperatures and oxygen, leading to an explosion,” says the ...see PINNACLE ▼ P3
Happy New Year This amazing photo of Carla Lewis (C), her son (R) and a friend (L) was taken by photographer Tak Sakiyama. Remember there should be at least 15 cm - 5.9 inches for skating, walking or ice fishing and at least 20 cm - 7.87 inches for large skating groups.
Huckleberry Mine considers temporary suspension FLAVIO NIENOW In the story ‘Huckleberry Mine lays off 20 employees’ published in the Lakes District News’ Dec. 2 issue, 20 workers were laid off through a restructuring of the Huckleberry Mine. According to Randall Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at Huckleberry Mine, the company has been facing higher operating costs and a drop in copper prices.
Last week, Thompson said the company is now weighing its options to address the continuous decline in copper price, including the possibility of a temporary suspension for three months. However, Thompson did not provide a timeline of when the temporary suspension would likely take place. “Huckleberry Mine is focused on the safety of its employees especially during the holiday season,” said Thompson in a statement. “Slowdown may be structural rather than
One month left for you to decide!
purely cyclical,” says UBC professor Copper prices have been falling for the last few years. In fact, on Nov. 23, 2015, copper traded below the $2 U.S. level on Canadian markets, a low not seen since 2009. Giovanni Gallipoli, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, explained that copper prices have been falling due to a general slowdown in aggregate demand around the world, and notably in China. ...see HUCKLEBERRY
Two programs start February 15, 2016 • Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)/Machinist Level 1 Foundation Program (22 weeks) • Trades Discovery (12 weeks)
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Phone 692 1700 for more info
Phone: 250.692.1700 • Fax: 250.692.1750 • Toll Free: 1.866.692.1943 545 Highway 16 West • PO Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC • V0J 1E0 Email: lksdist@cnc.bc.ca • Website: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict